The World of Winnie the Pooh

Posted by Speakeasy News > Monday 26 March 2018 > What's On

Winnie the Pooh is one of those rare children’s classics that seem universally recognisable, whether you think of the books, the illustrations or the Disney cartoons. An exhibition at the Victoria and Albert museum in London does exactly what it says on the tin: Winnie-the-Pooh: Exploring a Classic. The exhibition has large sets plunging visitors … Continue reading “The World of Winnie the Pooh”

Robert Burns Digital Resources

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 25 January 2018 > Webpicks

Scots celebrate their national poet, Robert Burns, on 25 January each year. These ebooks are useful for classroom work about the poet and the event. To find out more about Burns Night, check out Visitscotland’s ebook “Hold Your Own Burns Supper”, which includes recipes, information about the poet and a great video of traditional ceilidh … Continue reading “Robert Burns Digital Resources”

Murder in the Bookshops

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 13 December 2017 > Shine Bright Lycée What's On

As the latest film adaptation of the Agatha Christie classic Murder on the Orient Express hits our screens, Alison Bouhmid investigates women thriller-writers’ works, spanning a century of mystery writing. It is undeniable that British women writers have consistently been attracted to and excelled in detective fiction (though the genre was invented by a man, … Continue reading “Murder in the Bookshops”

Prince Harry to Wed

Posted by Speakeasy News > Tuesday 28 November 2017 > In the News

Britain will have something to distract it from Brexit negotiations in 2018 — a royal wedding always improves national morale. Prince Harry has announced his engagement to American actress Meghan Markle, with a wedding planned on 19 May. The couple has been dating since July 2016 and initially managed to keep the relationship surprisingly secret … Continue reading “Prince Harry to Wed”

Experimental Novel about Abraham Lincoln Wins 2017 Booker Prize

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 19 October 2017 > What's On

The 2017 Man Booker Prize, the UK’s most prestigious literary award, has been awarded to a first novel by American short-story writer George Saunders for Lincoln in the Bardo. Saunders is a veteran author but up till now he has specialised in short stories – Time magazine declared him the best short-story writer alive today. … Continue reading “Experimental Novel about Abraham Lincoln Wins 2017 Booker Prize”

Nobel Prize for Novelist Kazuo Ishiguro

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 05 October 2017 > What's On

The 2017 Nobel Prize for Literature has been awarded to British-Japanese novelist Kazuo Ishiguro whose work includes The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go. A more conventional choice than the 2016 winner, singer-songwriter Bob Dylan. Ishiguro, 62, was born in Nagasaki, Japan, but arrived in Britain at the age of five. His … Continue reading “Nobel Prize for Novelist Kazuo Ishiguro”

Hitchcock’s Home in Dinard

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 27 September 2017 > What's On

From 27 September to 1 October, Dinard will celebrate the 27th edition of its British Film Festival. The winners’ statuettes for the festival are “Hitchcocks”, and the trailer for the festival sets a suitably eccentric British tone with an Alfred Hitchcock lookalike participating in a Busby Berkeley-style synchronised swimming routine. The films in this year’s … Continue reading “Hitchcock’s Home in Dinard”

Princess Diana

Posted by Speakeasy News > Wednesday 13 September 2017 > Ready to Use

In this A1+ article, your students will read a very short biography of Princess Diana. They may already know a few things about the British Royal Family, some of them may have heard about Prince William’s wife and children in particular. This worksheet can be used as part of a unit about family and friends, … Continue reading “Princess Diana”

Rocking to the Classics

Posted by Speakeasy News > Thursday 07 September 2017 > Celebrate

The biggest music festival in the world isn’t Glastonbury or Lollopallooza, it’s a classical music festival: the two-month annual BBC Proms series in London. Started in 1895 with the specific aim of popularising classical music, the final night of the series, the Last Night of the Proms, is now an institution watched by millions around … Continue reading “Rocking to the Classics”